Description
Creamy caramel cream cheese dip brings sweet nostalgia to dessert tables across gatherings. Smooth Philadelphia cream cheese blends perfectly with rich caramel, creating an irresistible companion for fresh fruit, pretzels, or graham crackers you’ll want to savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (120 ml) caramel sauce, store-bought or homemade
- ¼ cup (50 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- Toffee bits (optional)
- Extra drizzle of caramel (optional)
- Apple slices (for serving)
- Strawberries (for serving)
- Graham crackers (for serving)
- Pretzels (for serving)
- Cookies (for serving)
Instructions
- Whipping: Utilize an electric mixer to transform cream cheese into a light, lump-free mixture within a spacious mixing bowl.
- Blending: Incorporate powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing until the texture becomes uniformly smooth and silky.
- Caramel Integration: Swirl most of the caramel sauce through the cream cheese base, creating golden ribbons throughout the creamy foundation.
- Presentation: Transfer the mixture into a serving dish, using a spatula to craft elegant swirls and peaks while maintaining a visually appealing surface.
- Final Touches: Drizzle remaining caramel across the top in an artistic pattern and generously sprinkle chopped nuts or toffee bits for textural contrast and visual interest.
- Serving: Offer immediately alongside crisp apple slices, salty pretzels, or delicate shortbread cookies to complement the rich, sweet dip.
- Storage: If preparing in advance, store in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to three days. Allow the dip to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to restore its creamy consistency.
Notes
- Whip Cream Cheese Perfectly: Use room temperature cream cheese for smoother blending and fewer lumps, ensuring a silky texture without overworking the mixture.
- Control Caramel Swirling: Add caramel slowly and fold gently to create elegant marbled patterns without completely mixing, maintaining visual and taste complexity.
- Customize Texture Options: Adjust powdered sugar quantity to control sweetness and consistency; for lighter dip, add more cream or less sugar for a denser spread.
- Smart Storage Strategy: Refrigerate up to three days, but always bring to room temperature before serving to restore original creamy texture and enhance flavor depth.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg